Apparatus for forming a circuit

ABSTRACT

Methods and apparatuses for forming components or circuits by ejecting a fluid including materials in a single ligament are disclosed.

BACKGROUND

Circuits may be fabricated on flexible and rigid media by additive andsubtractive processes using etched aluminum or other metals. Thesubtractive process completes patterning of material. Screen-printing isalso used to make fixed patterns in the formation of circuits. Thesefabrication techniques may contribute significantly to the cost ofcircuits formed by these techniques.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a system for fabricatingcircuits in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of deposition of printfluid onto a substrate by a print head shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an embodiment of a system for fabricatingcircuits in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an embodiment of a printed RF resonant circuitfabricated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-section of the circuit of FIG. 4 along line5-5;

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-section of an embodiment of a RF resonantcircuit fabricated in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a fabrication processof a capacitor employing the print medium as the dielectric inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an embodiment of a printed RC circuitfabricated in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-section of the circuit of FIG. 8 along line9-9;

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-section of an embodiment of an RC circuitfabricated in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram of an embodiment of a circuit illustrating thecustomizing capabilities of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an embodiment of a capacitor for illustrating the capacitancechanging capabilities in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIGS. 13-16 are simplified diagrams illustrating an embodiment of aprocess for forming a single ligament of fluid in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosed subject matter concerns printing of circuits using inkjetprinters. Conductive metal particles, nanoparticles or polymers,insulating or dielectric materials, or resistive materials are suspendedin print fluid and ejected from a print head and deposited onto aflexible or rigid media in desired patterns to form the components ofthe circuit. The circuit components are then heated to sinter thesuspended materials, or drive off, i.e., evaporate or dry, print fluidfrom polymers, insulating or dielectric and resistive material.

Embodiments of inkjet printers for fabricating circuits will now beillustrated. In the description, particular exemplary devices and deviceapplications will be used for purposes of illustration, but theembodiments of the invention are not limited to the formation of theparticular illustrated devices. Dimensions and illustrated devices maybe exaggerated for purposes of illustration and understanding of theembodiments. Reference numerals may be used in different embodiments toindicate similar features. The elements of the drawings are notnecessarily to scale relative to each other. Rather, emphasis hasinstead been placed upon clearly illustrating the embodiments of theinvention. A device illustrated by a two-dimensional schematic layerstructure will be understood by artisans to provide teaching ofthree-dimensional device structures and integrations.

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a system for printing a circuit, and includesan inkjet printer 10 connected to a controller 12. The controller 12 canbe a desktop personal computer or any form of CPU for operating aninkjet printer 10. It should be understood that while the controller 12is shown as a separate component from the inkjet printer 10, it can be apart of a firmware or software programmed in the inkjet printer 10itself.

The inkjet printer 10 can either be a thermal or a piezoelectric inkjetprinter, and includes a print media supply 14 for providing a substrate20 on which the circuit is to be printed (best shown in FIG. 2). Thesubstrate 20 can be any printable material typically used in fabricatingcircuits, for example, a flexible media such as paper or plastic, or arigid media such as glass. The inkjet printer 10 also includes an inkjetprint cartridge 16 including a print head 18, which operates to ejectprint materials suspended in print fluid from the print cartridge 16onto the substrate 20 (shown in FIG. 2 on a platen 21) for forming thepattern of the circuit.

In a thermal inkjet printer, print fluid is ejected by rapidly heating aresistor area in the print head 18, thereby causing print fluid in afluid chamber to vaporize and expand in volume. The fluid displaced bythat expansion ejects print fluid out of an orifice onto the printmedia. Inkjet printers 10 that utilize piezoelectric technology employ aprint head 18 including a piezoelectric transducer which is coupled to aflexible diaphragm in the fluid chamber. Together the piezoelectrictransducer and the flexible diaphragm form a controllable actuator forsqueezing the fluid chamber in the print head 18, thereby ejecting fluidout of an orifice and onto the substrate 20.

The materials in the print fluid may be particles, such as in oneembodiment nanoparticles, of any conductive metals such as silver,copper, nickel, aluminum, gold, etc., conductive polymers such as PEDOTand polyaniline, insulating or dielectric materials such as polyvinylpyrrolidone or polyvinyl phenol, or resistive materials such as carbonparticles. Print fluid may be alpha-terpineol mixed with ethanol ortoluene, for example.

A cure unit 22 heats the substrate 20 deposited with print fluid todrive off or evaporate the fluid and sinter the nanoparticles and formconductive bonds or, when the materials in print fluid are conductivepolymers, insulating-dielectric materials or resistive materials, todrive off or evaporate print fluid in which these materials aresuspended. The heat for heating or curing the deposited substrate 20 canbe supplied by any heat source such as a convection oven, laser energy,microwave energy, direct infrared source, etc. Depending on the type ofnanoparticles being used, the printed substrate may be heated to atemperature of approximately 150° C. to 300° C., for example, forapproximately 60 to 300 seconds in order to sinter the metalnanoparticles. For the purpose of evaporating print fluid, the printedsubstrate may be heated to a temperature of approximately 80° C. to 150°C., for example, for approximately 60 to 300 seconds.

It should be understood that while the cure unit 22 and the media supply14 are shown to be provided within the inkjet printer 10, they can beseparate components from the inkjet printer, as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG.3 and in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the invention,a front reel 24 supplies the print media or substrate 20, which forms aweb 26 in a circuit web system 28. In the web system 28, print fluidcontaining different print materials is supplied from a plurality offluid tanks 30. In this embodiment, the controller 12 operates theentire web system 28, in addition to the task of controlling the circuitfabricating functions.

In operation, as the substrate 20 is released from the front reel 24, itpasses under a print head 18 or a series of print heads (best shown inFIG. 2), and is deposited with materials in print fluid contained in thefluid tank 30 as dictated by the controller 12. The substrate 20 thenmoves into a cure unit 22 where the materials deposited are heated to besintered and/or to evaporate print fluid from the printed materials.

For metal nanoparticles, such as copper, that may oxidize in air in away that is detrimental for good conduction, an inert atmosphere can beused to eliminate or reduce the oxide. The final device can also have apassivation layer (not shown) printed or otherwise coated over it toavoid oxidation once removed from the inert atmosphere. For some metals,such as silver or gold, a passivation layer may not be used andtherefore the processing can be simplified.

For lower melting or burning point substrates 20, laser or microwavecuring may be used, or a conductive nanoparticle solution utilizing areactive organic medium that exothermically degrades at lowertemperatures (such as the lower temperature curing silver solution fromParelec, Inc.) can be used to sinter particles without damaging thesubstrate, or a dielectric material, if a lower temperature dielectricor insulator is chosen.

The web system 28 may also include a combining station 31 where printedcircuits fabricated in accordance with the embodiments of the inventioncan be combined in any manner with other electrical components such as amicrochips or other component surface mount electrical devices (notshown) for building low cost “hybrid” circuits.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a radio frequency (RF) resonant circuit 32. RFresonant circuits may be used in a variety of applications, includingelectronic article surveillance sensors in merchandise packaging, radiofrequency identification tags, communication devices, etc.

Initially, conductive metal nanoparticles such as silver, copper,nickel, aluminum, gold, etc., suspended in print fluid such asalpha-terpineol mixed with ethanol or toluene are ejected by the printhead 18 (best shown in FIG. 1) from an ink cartridge 16 or fluid tanks30 (shown in FIG. 3) onto the substrate 20, which can be flexible mediasuch as paper or plastic, or rigid media such as glass.

The metal nanoparticles are deposited in a pattern to form a radiofrequency coil 34 and a first or bottom electrode 36 of a capacitor 38.The deposited nanoparticles are cured or heated at a temperature ofapproximately 220° C. (for the higher temperature curing silversolutions, for example) to sinter them together and form conductivebonds. As discussed above, the heat source can be a convection oven,laser energy, microwave energy, direct infrared source or others. Forlower melting or burning point substrates 20, laser or microwave curingmay be used, or a conductive nanoparticle solution utilizing a reactiveorganic medium that exothermically degrades at lower temperatures, suchas, for example, the lower temperature curing silver solution fromParelec, Inc., can be used to generate particle sintering withoutdamaging the substrate 20.

Next, an insulating or dielectric material, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), is deposited by the print head 18 from the printfluid cartridge 16 containing n-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) as thedielectric 40 for the capacitor 38, over the first or bottom electrode36 of the capacitor. The insulating or dielectric material is alsodeposited over a portion of the coil 34 to act as an insulating bridge42 across the coil for the capacitor lead 44 to avoid shorting. Thecomponents on the substrate 20 are then subjected to another heatingprocess to cure the dielectric 40 and the bridge 42. The heating processand temperature to cure the dielectric material can be the same as thatused for the lower temperature silver.

The RF circuit 32 is completed by using the print head 18 to depositanother layer of conductive metal nanoparticles from the print fluidcartridge 16 (or a fluid tank 30), over the dielectric 40 to form thesecond or top electrode 46. Two capacitor leads 44 are also depositedover the insulating bridge 42 to connect to the top and bottomelectrodes 46, 36. The second electrode 46 and the capacitor leads 44are then cured as described above. If a convection heating source isused for curing, then a lower temperature sintering metal nanoparticlesolution should be used to avoid damage to the dielectric 40. Thoseskilled in the art will recognize that the factors which determine thecapacitance of the RF circuit include, for example, the dielectricconstant of the dielectric material, the thickness of the dielectric,the surface area of the electrodes and the width, separation, and lengthof the coil traces.

Turning now to FIG. 6, and in accordance with another exemplaryembodiment of the present invention, an RF resonant circuit 48 isfabricated by inkjet printing both sides of the substrate 20, and usingthe substrate as the dielectric of a capacitor. In this embodiment, thefirst or bottom electrode 36 and the coil 34 are formed on one side ofthe substrate 20 as described above. Simultaneous to this step, or in asubsequent step, the second or a top electrode 50 of a capacitor 52 isformed on the opposite side of the substrate 20 from the first electrode36, causing the substrate 20 to act as the dielectric 54 for thecapacitor. As with the other components of the RF resonant circuit 48,the second electrode 50 is also deposited on the substrate 20 byejecting metal nanoparticles as described above.

In FIG. 6, both the first and the second electrodes 36, 50 are shown tobe approximately the same size and generally aligned with respect toeach other. It should be understood, however, that the first and thesecond electrodes 36, 50 may be of different sizes or areas, and/or beoffset from each other to provide additional variables in controllingthe resulting capacitance. Also, if the second electrode 50 is formedsubsequent to the first electrode 36, an additional heating step may beused to sinter the nanoparticles in the second electrode 50. Traces (notshown) can also be provided from the RF resonant circuit 48 to connectwith other electronic devices or circuits that may use the energyabsorbed by the RF resonant circuit.

It should be appreciated that printing the capacitor electrodes 36, 50on both sides of the substrate 20 so that it acts as the capacitor'sdielectric, allows fabrication of the capacitor without an additionalinsulator or dielectric printing step. In addition, using the substrate20 itself as the capacitor's dielectric allows for the RF resonantcircuit 48 to operate at lower frequencies than if all the capacitorelectrodes were printed on the same side of the substrate, for example,as in an inter-digitated high frequency capacitor.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present inventionshown in FIG. 7, in capacitors with electrodes 36, 50 formed on bothsides of the substrate 20, the capacitance or the insulating property ofthe dielectric 54 can be increased by injecting the portion of thesubstrate 20 with print fluid containing insulating or dielectricmaterial such as PVP, prior to the formation of the electrodes 36, 50,so that the material absorbs into the substrate 20. Alternatively, theinsulating or dielectric material can also be deposited or printed onone or both sides of the portion of the substrate that form thecapacitor 48, as well, to increase capacitance. The factors that controlabsorption of the insulating or dielectric material into the substrateonto the surface of the substrate include dielectric particle size,substrate porosity, and contact angle and wettability between thesubstrate and the printing fluid.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a printed RC circuit 56 produced in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. An RC circuit 56 include acapacitor 58 which is formed on one side of the substrate 20 with adielectric 60 provided between two electrodes 62, 64 (best shown in FIG.9) in a manner similar to an embodiment described above. Alternatively,as shown in FIG. 10, the capacitor 58 can be formed by depositing theelectrodes 62, 64 on both sides of the substrate 20 using an embodimentof the inkjet printing method similar to that which was described abovewith respect to the RF resonant circuit 48 shown in FIG. 6. In thisembodiment, the portion of the substrate 20 between the two electrodes62, 64 acts as a dielectric 66.

A resistor portion 70 of the RC circuit 56 is formed by inkjetdepositing carbon particles suspend in print fluid. Overlapping thecarbon particles over the silver (or vice versa) makes the connectionbetween the resistor 70 and the capacitor 58. The connection can also bemade by mixing the silver and carbon particles at the connection pointwhile the print fluid is still uncured, i.e. prior to heating. Thefactors which determine the resistance of the resistor 70 may includethe resistivity of the resistor material used (for example, carbonparticles), the cross sectional area of the resistor, contact areas,contact resistivities, and the overall length of the resistor.

FIGS. 11-12 show exemplary embodiments of the invention for customizingelectrical circuits and components. In FIG. 11, a circuit 70 includes anumber of pre-existing components (three capacitors 72, three resistors74 and a transistor 76), which may have been previously fabricatedeither by methods such as screen printing, pad printing, etc., or by theembodiments of the inkjet deposition methods described above. Inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention, the controller 12 (bestshown in FIGS. 1 and 2) is programmed to control the print head 18 toconnect the components of the circuit 70 in a desired arrangement, i.e.,customize, for a particular purpose. In FIG. 11, print fluid containingconductive metal nanoparticles is deposited onto the circuit as aconnection line 78 to connect the three resistors 74 and as a connectionline 80 to connect a node 82 to the transistor 76.

In another exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the capacitance of ahigh frequency capacitor 84 is customized by adding interdigitatedfingers 86, or by changing the area and proximity thereof. Using theembodiments of the inkjet deposition methods described above, dielectricmaterial may be printed between the interdigitated fingers to controlthe resulting capacitance. Those skilled in the art will recognize thatthis capability could be very useful in programming Radio FrequencyIdentification or other radio circuits for different frequencies.

Whether the embodiments of the present inkjet printer 10 are a thermalor a piezoelectric type, the print head 18 dispenses print fluid in asingle ligament of fluid. As used in this specification, the term“ligament” is meant to be understood broadly as any united orsubstantially continuous flow of dispensed fluid. As a way of example,FIGS. 13-16 illustrate one embodiment of dispensing a single ligament offluid on the substrate 20 using a thermal inkjet printer 10. The processbegins by firing a first quantity of print fluid 88 from the print head18 (best shown in FIG. 13). Once the first quantity of fluid 88 has beenfired, the print head 18 fires a second quantity of fluid 90 at afrequency sufficient that a head portion 92 of the second quantity offluid 90 “catches” the tail portion 94 of the first quantity of fluid 88(best shown in FIG. 15).

In some modes of operation of a thermal inkjet there may be a gap 96between the tail portion 94 of a previously formed quantity of fluid andthe head portion 92 of a subsequently formed quantity of fluid 90 (bestshown in FIG. 14). One factor that may be adjusted to aid in thesubsequently formed quantity of fluid “catching” the tail of thepreviously formed quantity of fluid is the firing frequency ofsubsequent quantities of fluid. The firing frequency of subsequentquantities of fluid may be adjusted in order to close the gap 96 createdbetween the tail portion 94 of the previously ejected quantity of fluidand the head portion 92 of the subsequently formed quantity of fluid.

Once the first quantity of fluid 88 has been ejected from the thermalprint head 18, the speed of the ejected quantity of fluid generallyplateaus off. However, as the first quantity of fluid 88 is ejectedtowards the substrate 20, a stretching phenomenon occurs. Thisstretching phenomenon is caused as the tail portion 94 of the firstquantity of fluid 88 clings to an orifice region 98 from which it wasejected due to surface tension. This surface tension applies a forceupon the tail portion 94 of the first quantity of fluid 88 resulting inthe tail portion 94 traveling at a relatively slower velocity than thehead portion 92. This relative difference in velocity between the headportion 92 and the tail portion 94 causes the first quantity of fluid 88to stretch out thereby aiding in the formation of a single ligament offluid.

Once two or more quantities of print fluid have been fired from theprint head 18 and the gap 96 between the tail portion 94 of previouslyejected quantities of fluid and the head portion 92 of subsequentlyejected quantities of fluid has been eliminated, the individualquantities of material form a single ligament of fluid 100 translatingtoward a substrate 20, as shown in FIG. 16. Simultaneous with theejection of fluid and the deposition of the single fluid ligament 100 onthe substrate 20, the print head 18 may be translated to selectivelydeposit the fluid.

While the process for forming a single ligament of fluid 100 wasillustrated in the context of a thermal inkjet printer 10, this processmay also be incorporated into piezoelectric type inkjet printers. Withpiezoelectric printheads the parameters controlling the ejection can beadjusted so that a continuous ligament emerges from the orifice ratherthan individual ligaments merging in flight. Moreover, the print head 18may eject discrete droplets of fluid onto a print media at designatedlocations, rather than a single ligament (or continuous stream) offluid. The locations for the discrete droplets are chosen such that thedroplets approximate a continuous line. A more detailed description ofthe single fluid ligament dispensing method and additional embodimentsthereof using a piezoelectric or a thermal inkjet print head 18 areprovided in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/685,842, filed Oct. 14, 2003, entitled A METHOD AND A SYSTEM FORSINGLE LIGAMENT FLUID DISPENSING, the subject matter of whichapplication is incorporated herein in its entirety.

While specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, it should be understood that other modifications,substitutions and alternatives are apparent to one of ordinary skill inthe art. Such modifications, substitutions and alternatives can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter of theappended claims.

1. An apparatus for fabricating a circuit, comprising: means forsupplying fluid, including materials for forming the circuit; a printhead for ejecting said fluid from said means for supplying in a singleligament and depositing said materials onto a substrate in a patterncomprising at least a portion of the circuit; means for heating saidmaterials deposited on said substrate; and a controller for controllingsaid print head to eject said fluid in said pattern.
 2. The apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein said means for heating includes aconfiguration to sinter said materials after said materials aredeposited on said substrate.
 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein said means for heating includes a configuration to evaporate ordry said fluid from said materials.
 4. The apparatus as defined in claim1, further including means for supplying said substrate to said printhead.
 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said print headcomprises a thermal print head.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein said print head comprises a piezoelectric print head.
 7. Theapparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said materials compriseelectrically conductive metal nanoparticles.
 8. The apparatus as definedin claim 7, wherein said metal nanoparticles comprise silver, copper,nickel, aluminum or gold.
 9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein said materials comprise electrically conductive polymers. 10.The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said polymers comprisePEDOT or polyaniline.
 11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid materials comprise electrically insulating polymers.
 12. Theapparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said insulating polymerscomprise polyvinyl pyrrolidone or polyvinyl phenol.
 13. The apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein said materials comprise electricallyresistive particles.
 14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13, whereinsaid resistive particles comprise carbon particles.
 15. The apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein said materials comprise dielectric polymers.16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said dielectricpolymers comprise polyvinyl pyrrolidone or polyvinyl phenol.
 17. Theapparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said fluid comprisesalpha-terpineol mixed with ethanol or toluene.
 18. The apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein said means for heating comprises aconvection oven, a laser energy source, a microwave energy source or adirect infrared source.
 19. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid substrate is flexible.
 20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19,wherein said substrate comprises paper or plastic.
 21. The apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein said substrate is rigid.
 22. The apparatusas defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate is glass.
 23. Theapparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said single ligament of saidfluid is formed by connecting a first quantity of said fluid to a secondquantity of said fluid prior to said first quantity and second quantitycontacting said substrate.
 24. An apparatus for forming a circuit,comprising: a print head for ejecting fluid having materials in a singleligament and depositing said materials onto a substrate in a patterncomprising at least a portion of the circuit; and a heating device forheating said materials deposited on said substrate
 25. The apparatus asdefined in claim 24, wherein said print head comprises a thermal inkjetprint head.
 26. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said printhead comprises a piezoelectric inkjet print head.
 27. The apparatus asdefined in claim 24, wherein said heating device includes aconfiguration to sinter said materials after said materials aredeposited on said substrate.
 28. The apparatus as defined in claim 24,wherein said heating device includes a configuration to evaporate or drysaid print fluid from said materials.
 29. The apparatus as defined inclaim 24, further including means for supplying said substrate to saidprint head.
 30. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein saidmaterials comprise electrically conductive metal nanoparticles.
 31. Theapparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein said metal nanoparticlescomprise silver, copper, nickel, aluminum or gold.
 32. The apparatus asdefined in claim 24, wherein said materials comprise electricallyconductive polymers.
 33. The apparatus as defined in claim 32, whereinsaid polymers comprise PEDOT or polyaniline.
 34. The apparatus asdefined in claim 24, wherein said materials comprise electricallyinsulating polymers.
 35. The apparatus as defined in claim 34, whereinsaid insulating polymers comprise polyvinyl pyrrolidone or polyvinylphenol.
 36. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said materialscomprise electrically resistive particles.
 37. The apparatus as definedin claim 36, wherein said resistive particles comprise carbon.
 38. Theapparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said materials comprisedielectric polymers.
 39. The apparatus as defined in claim 38, whereinsaid dielectric polymers comprise polyvinyl pyrrolidone or polyvinylphenol.
 40. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said printfluid includes alpha-terpineol mixed with ethanol or toluene.
 41. Theapparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said heating device comprisesa convection oven, a laser energy source, a microwave energy source or adirect infrared source.
 42. The apparatus as defined in claim 24,wherein said substrate is flexible or rigid.
 43. The apparatus asdefined in claim 24, further comprising a container for storing saidfluid and a controller for controlling said print head to eject saidfluid in said pattern.
 44. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, whereinsaid apparatus comprises an inkjet printer and further comprises acartridge for storing said fluid and a controller for controlling saidprint head to eject said fluid in said pattern.
 45. The apparatus asdefined in claim 24, wherein said single ligament of fluid is formed byconnecting a first quantity of said fluid to a second quantity of saidfluid prior to said first quantity and second quantity contacting saidsubstrate.
 46. A method for forming a circuit comprising: ejecting afluid having materials for forming the circuit in a single ligament anddepositing said materials onto a substrate in a pattern comprising atleast a portion of the circuit; and heating said materials deposited onsaid substrate.
 47. The method as defined in claim 46, wherein saidmaterials comprise electrically conductive metal nanoparticles.
 48. Themethod as defined in claim 47, wherein said heating sinters saidnanoparticles deposited on said substrate.
 49. The method as defined inclaim 46, wherein said heating evaporates or dries said print fluid fromsaid materials.
 50. The method as defined in claim 46, wherein saidprint fluid includes alpha-terpineol mixed with ethanol or toluene. 51.The method as defined in claim 46, wherein said materials are heated bya convection oven, a laser energy source, a microwave energy source or adirect infrared source.
 52. The method as defined in claim 46, whereinsaid single ligament of said fluid is ejected by connecting a firstquantity of said fluid to a second quantity of said fluid prior to saidfirst quantity and second quantity contacting said substrate.
 53. Amethod for fabricating a printed circuit using an inkjet printer,comprising the: suspending materials for forming the circuit in printfluid stored in a print cartridge; ejecting said print fluid from saidprint cartridge in a single ligament and depositing said materials ontoa substrate in a pattern of at least a portion of the printed circuit;and heating said materials deposited on said substrate.
 54. The methodas defined in claim 53, wherein said print fluid is ejected by a thermalinkjet printer.
 55. The method as defined in claim 53, wherein saidprint fluid is ejected by a piezoelectric printer.
 56. The method asdefined in claim 53, wherein said materials comprise electricallyconductive metal nanoparticles.
 57. The method as defined in claim 56,wherein said heating sinters said nanoparticles deposited on saidsubstrate.
 58. The method as defined in claim 53, wherein said heatingevaporates or dries said print fluid from said materials.
 59. The methodas defined in claim 53, wherein said materials are heated by aconvection oven, a laser energy source, a microwave energy source or adirect infrared source.
 60. The method as defined in claim 53, whereinsaid single ligament of said print fluid is ejected by connecting afirst quantity of said print fluid to a second quantity of said printfluid prior to said first quantity and second quantity contacting saidsubstrate.
 61. A method for fabricating a capacitor, comprising:depositing electrically conductive materials suspended in first fluid ona surface of a substrate to form a first electrode; heating saidmaterials in said first electrode; depositing electrically insulatingmaterials suspended in second fluid on said first electrode to form adielectric layer of said capacitor; and depositing said electricallyconductive materials suspended in said first fluid on said dielectriclayer to form a second electrode; wherein at least one of saiddepositing to form said first electrode, said dielectric layer and saidsecond electrode is performed by ejecting said first or said secondfluid in a single ligament.
 62. The method as defined in claim 61,further including heating said dielectric layer to evaporate or dry saidsecond print fluid from said insulating materials.
 63. The method asdefined in claim 61, further including heating said second electrode tosinter said conductive materials in said second electrode.
 64. Themethod as defined in claim 61, wherein said depositing of saidelectrically conductive materials forming said first electrode and saidsecond electrode and said electrically insulating materials forming saiddielectric layer is performed by an inkjet printer.
 65. The method asdefined in claim 64, wherein said inkjet printer comprises a thermalinkjet printer.
 66. The method as defined in claim 64, wherein saidinkjet printer comprises a piezoelectric inkjet printer.
 67. Theapparatus as defined in claim 61, wherein said single ligament of saidfirst or second fluid is deposited by connecting a first quantity ofsaid first or second fluid to a second quantify of said first or secondfluid prior to said first and second quantity contacting said substrate.68. The method as defined in claim 61, wherein said heating sinters saidconductive materials in said first electrode.
 69. A method forfabricating a capacitor, comprising: depositing electrically conductivematerials suspended in fluid on a first surface of a substrate to form afirst electrode; and depositing electrically conductive materialssuspended in said fluid on a second surface of said substrate to form asecond electrode; and heating said first electrode and said secondelectrode deposited on said substrate.
 70. The method as defined inclaim 69, wherein said conductive materials comprise metalnanoparticles.
 71. The method as defined in claim 69, wherein saiddepositing of said electrically conductive materials forming said firstelectrode and said second electrode is performed by an inkjet printer.72. The method as defined in claim 71, wherein said inkjet printerperforms said depositing by ejecting said fluid in a single ligament.73. The apparatus as defined in claim 72, wherein said single ligamentof said fluid is ejected by connecting a first quantity of said fluid toa second quantity of said fluid prior to said first and second quantitycontacting said substrate.
 74. The method as defined in claim 73,wherein said depositing of said electrically conductive materialsforming said first electrode and said second electrode is performed by athermal inkjet printer.
 75. The method as defined in claim 69, furtherincluding ejecting dielectric materials on said substrate so that saiddielectric materials are absorbed in said substrate, prior to said stepsof depositing said first and second electrodes.
 76. The method asdefined in claim 69, further including depositing dielectric materialson at least one of said first and second surface of said substrate,prior to said steps of depositing said first and second electrodes, toform a second dielectric layer between said first and second electrodes,wherein said substrate between said first and second electrodes acts asa first dielectric layer between said first and second layers.
 77. Themethod as defined in claim 69, wherein said heating sinters saidconductive materials forming said first electrode and said secondelectrode.
 78. The method as defined in claim 69, wherein said first andsaid second electrodes are offset from each other.
 79. The method asdefined in claim 69, wherein said first and said second electrodes aredifferent sizes.
 80. A method for customizing a prefabricated circuit ona substrate, comprising: suspending at least one of electricallyconductive, resistive or dielectric materials in fluid; ejecting saidfluid in a single ligament to deposit a select type of said materialsonto the substrate, so that said selected type of said materials areelectrically connected to at least one of existing components on theprefabricated circuit; and heating said materials deposited on thesubstrate; wherein said select type of materials are selected to obtaindesired control of electrical current flow in the circuit.
 81. Themethod as defined in claim 80, wherein materials deposited on thesubstrate are interdigitated fingers in a capacitor.
 82. The method asdefined in claim 81, further comprising ejecting dielectric materialssuspended in fluid between said interdigitated fingers to control acapacitance of said capacitor.
 83. The method as defined in claim 80,wherein said ejecting is performed by inkjet printing means.
 84. Themethod as defined in claim 83, wherein said single ligament of fluid isejected by connecting a first quantity of said fluid to a secondquantify of said fluid prior to said first and second quantitycontacting said substrate.
 85. A method for fabricating a resistor,comprising: suspending electrically resistive materials in fluid;depositing said fluid in a single ligament on a surface of a substrate;and heating said resistive materials to dry said fluid from saidmaterials.
 86. The method as defined in claim 85, wherein saiddepositing is performed by inkjet printing means.
 87. The method asdefined in claim 86, wherein said single ligament of said fluid isdeposited by connecting a first quantity of said print fluid to a secondquantify of said print fluid prior to said first and second quantitycontacting said substrate.
 88. A method for providing an electricalinsulation at an intersection of electrical conductors, comprising:suspending electrically resistive or dielectric materials in fluid;ejecting said fluid in a single ligament on a surface of a firstelectrical conductor at the intersection between said first electricalconductor and a second electrical conductor prior to formation of saidsecond electrical conductor; heating said materials deposited on saidfirst electrical conductor to evaporate or dry said fluid; and formingsaid second electrical conductor on said materials at said intersection.89. The method as defined in claim 88, wherein said ejecting isperformed by inkjet printing means.
 90. The apparatus as defined inclaim 89, wherein said single ligament of said fluid is ejected byconnecting a first quantity of said fluid to a second quantify of saidfluid prior to said first and second quantity contacting said substrate.